


Love and Volleyball

by NoGoodTuna



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Crushes, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-02 10:28:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20274436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoGoodTuna/pseuds/NoGoodTuna
Summary: Tsukishima has feelings for the squirt, Hinata Shouyou, but he squashes them and keeps himself from acting on them, lest he become a distraction for his teammate's dreams. With heavy handed help from one of the nosiest people's he's ever met, however, he's forced to reconsider his decision.Day 1: Training Camp





	Love and Volleyball

While training camp was a time for volleyball players to sharpen the tools in their toolbox and synthesize new techniques with one another, it was also a time for players to forge new bonds between themselves and deepen preexisting ones. Friendships evolved and grew as they reached new heights. Intimate relationships blossomed between friends. Over the course of a few weekends, Kuroo and Kenma, the stars of Nekoma who always had a certain fondness for another made their feelings for one another quite clear. As they kissed in front of their friends, their love couldn’t be any more pure, more innocent, and more _gosh darn_ adorable than anyone imagined.

Perhaps it was this aura of love and attraction that caused the most ardent of volleyball player’s to band together for weekend training camps of sorts at one of their houses every now and then. There they were free to play to their heart’s content without the rules and boundaries their coaches set in fear that their _goo-goo _eyes and _puppy love _would distract those serious about playing the sport.

Tsukishima wondered why it was such a problem as volleyball idiots like Hinata, Kageyama, Koganegawa, and perhaps even Goshiki were so thick-headed and one-track minded that love seemed like something that would totally go over their heads and escape them. Or so he thought as he watched Kageyama smile with tender and fond affection when his boyfriend, Kindaichi, looked at him in the middle of the game. Bashful as if the mere idea of the _reformed king of the court_ noticing him and watching him with care was still something that sent his heart aflutter, he blushed hard, lowered his gaze, and practically forgot where he was as he stood motionless in the middle of the court. He would have remained there had Lev not clumsily tripped over his own foot and stumbled into him. He displaced him from where he stood and pushed him safely out of the way of an incoming ball. As Lev apologized, Tsukishima shook his head, sighed, and realized why the coaches were wary of romance between players. Idiotic things like this were bound to happen.

As so often happened these days, his eyes drifted to the one volleyball idiot who always caught his eye, Hinata. He gazed at him with curiosity, wonder, and something else that he kept buried deep in the recesses of his heart. While he should have been watching Kuroo, who though graduated, still came around these parts to teach his precious _kouhai_ how to block, or maybe pay attention to Koganegawa who he was supposed to be helping improve his blocking skills, lest Futakuchi yell both their ears off, which he loved to do whenever he happened to see the two of them together, he couldn’t. That bouncing bundle of infinite volume, joy, and energy was such a presence that he couldn’t help but listen to him.

“Gimme the ball, gimme the ball Goshiki, please!” Hinata tugged on Goshiki’s arms as he begged for his attention.

Goshiki chuckled as he let the boy have his way with him. “Why would I give you the ball when the goal of the game is to score as many points off the other team as possible. With how much you’ve improved, I wouldn’t in a million years put the ball in your sights.”

“So, you’re gonna avoid me!? No fair Goshiki, no fair at all!” Hinata grumbled and stomped his feet as if he were a petulant child. “I wanna chance to do cool stuff like you and everyone else does! I really wanna.”

“Then next time get better at rock paper scissors, then maybe we’ll be on the same team and I can send the ball your way all the time or something.” Goshiki shrugged.

“That’s, that’s just not the same! I wanna block you, roof you, stop you, score on you.”

“I don’t know what else to say Hinata. Just, do your best, if you can.” Goshiki added just as they resumed play.

As if to prove a point Goshiki was quick to show his expertise, dominance, and indomitable playstyle as he unleashed a well-timed and well-aimed service ace that hit the ground in the gap between Hinata and Koganegawa. Neither had moved as the serve was so beautiful, so gorgeous, and so magical that they were impressed. That feeling of awe and intrigue faded away once they were disturbed from their stupor by the updated score. Realizing how far behind his team was, Hinata threw a temper tantrum. Inconsolable, he practically dug into his messy hair and pulled or tried to pull it out as he groaned and moaned and shrieked in abject disappointment and despair.

Though somber and disappointed in himself, Koganegawa still placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and expressed sincere feelings, as if he felt totally to blame for their disastrous performance. “My bad man, my bad. Don’t mind. Don’t mind. We got him next time. For sure.”

Feeling like he was on fire today, Goshiki stood proudly on the other side of the net and smirked as if he was glad he kept the ball out of Hinata’s clutches once again. Not one to hide his pride, he earnestly teased him as he received a pat on the back from Lev and Kindaichi.

Hinata very nearly looked like he was going to be peeved off to the max, but he quickly smacked himself across both cheeks and focused his breathing in the _way of the cool and calm _as he’d so trademarked after watching Tsukishima’s and Kageyama’s similar emotionless playing style. With a leveled voice he swore he’d do so much better next time that no ball or anything of the like would get past him.

The _way of the cool and calm _did wonders for Hinata’s playing style and let him and his teammates compete on a level that kept Goshiki on his toes. However, more experienced, and more adept at adapting to the situation, Goshiki altered his playing style and slowly retook control of the game.

As he played them like a fiddle, he found a spot that Koganegawa, Hinata, and Kunimi left open, and sent the ball rocketing there like a buster bunker. He proudly smiled and just about shouted in glee as the ball nearly hit his mark. However his voice and excitement faded just as fast as it appeared as Hinata appeared in the blink of an eye as if he teleported or perhaps, had been there all along and no one noticed him.

Hinata received the ball admirably, firmly and rigidly, as if he was a brick wall that wouldn’t be moved by any force that opposed him. That rigidity and firmness, however, softened as he absorbed all the energy and momentum that the ball carried and moved with fluidic beauty and grace, as if he were some malleable figurine. He sent the ball upwards and skywards majestically.

While most everyone watched the ball with eagle-like attention, Tsukishima watched Hinata as if he were entranced by something about him. Perhaps he felt pride for the boy pulling off something that he’d spent months perfecting, or perhaps he felt accomplishment for the boy managing to get one over someone as gifted and talented like Goshiki, who always stood in his way whenever these training weekends happened. No, there was more to it than that, Tsukishima realized, as Hinata, for just the briefest moment, looked at him with eyes that twinkled and reflected happiness, joy, delight, and maybe gladness that Tsukishima was watching him so closely.

That feeling that Tsukishima buried deep in his heart, rose and bubbled to the surface. Resisting hard to keep it from making him break out into a totally mind-betraying smile, he leaned against the tree and squeezed his water bottle just a bit more tightly than he already was. It did little to keep those feelings at bay as his heart raced with the same thrill of excitement and pleasure as it so often did when he stood beside Hinata on the court. His only saving grace was that Hinata wasn’t there beside him, smiling and looking at him with trust and faith that he’d do whatever he could to lead them to victory. It always gave Tsukishima pause and made something in his heart drop as he accepted, fully and completely, everything that Hinata was giving him and then some. To be depended on, needed, and wanted made him feel a certain kind of way that he wondered if he could ever voice what he felt in his heart to the boy.

As Koganegawa placed his hands on the boy’s shoulder and got his attention, Hinata nodded and tore his glance away leaving Tsukishima temporarily jolted and saddened. That feeling didn’t last long as Hinata stared at the ball with an attention and focus that, come hell or high water, wouldn’t ever be broken. Even from where he was, Tsukishima found himself totally enraptured by him. As if overcome by some magical spell, his heart thumped fearfully yet excitedly as he soon grew thirsty, parched, as if something terrible yet terrific was about to happen. He shivered as chills overcame him and looked fearfully in anticipation. He felt sorry, terrible even for the players on the other side of the net. They were about to get owned, so badly, that they’d give up any and all fight left in them.

Still surprised and stunned over the previous return, Goshiki and his teammates scrambled like maniacs to keep them from scoring. As they did whatever they could to defend their advantage, Hinata played more fiercely and intensely than ever before. Anytime they sent the ball across the net he was there either in the air roofing it and preventing it from getting to his side or there on the ground receiving it and keeping it in play for his teammates to launch an offensive. Goshiki, Kindaichi, and Lev grew more frustrated by the minute. Their play turned sloppy as mistakes crept into their style. One such mistake spelled doom as Lev sent the ball weakly and feebly to Koganegawa who, even at his skill level, couldn’t miss this opportunity for the world. Receiving it, he went into a quick set and put it in play for Hinata.

Just as beautiful and perfect as before, Hinata looked elegant as he hovered for just the briefest of moments. His form was textbook perfect as he squarely focused all his attention and energy on the ball. Poised spectacularly for a hit that would be remembered for ages to come, Hinata impressed Tsukishima like he’d never done before.

The feelings of awe and appeal he commanded didn’t stop there. When he hit the ball with so much force that a literal sonic boom echoed around the backyard, Kageyama was left gaping so much that the juice box in his mouth fell to the ground. That surprise he felt was increased ten-fold as the ball hit the ground with so much power behind it that it dug into the ground right in between Goshiki’s legs. Shocked and shook, he was motionless as it bounced behind him and over Kindaichi’s head.

As their jaws dropped in surprise and disappointment, Kunimi and Koganegawa were already high fiving and hugging Hinata with accomplishment. They crowded around him, ruffled his hair, shook him, and showered him with attention and praise. Not used to it, he smiled bashfully and proudly as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

Tsukishima would have shook his head at the _coalition of volleyball idiots_ and their antics but he couldn’t. Seeing Hinata having the time of his life playing his favorite sport with his most _favoritest_ people in the world left Tsukishima feeling so good, so entertained, and so pleased that he could only stand there and look on fondly and happily. The smile he wore for the little squirt, as he liked to call him, grew once there was a break in the crowd and Hinata caught his eye. The boy’s smile spread across his entire face as a light blush broke out as if something stirred in his heart. He looked just about ready to approach him but Kageyama moved in front of him and gave him his rare, incredibly rare, expressions of praise.

For just the quickest, briefest of moments, Tsukishima thought Hinata’s smile faltered and faded as something that was packed into it dissipated, but that thought was pushed aside as the sound of leaves being crushed and sticks being snapped behind him, made him jump in surprise.

“So you gonna tell the squirt how you feel or are you gonna keep those thoughts up here?” Kuroo, who approached from his rear and now leaned over his shoulder, tapped his fingers upside his head and just about had a hearty laugh before he was backing away and ducking from a water bottle that came torpedoing right at him. As it hit the ground with murderous intent, it bounced with a bit of directionality, before bopping Kuroo right atop the head. His startled and embarrassing yelp made Tsukishima smile victoriously and mirthfully.

“Thoughts? _Uhm_, sorry, I don’t know anything about these thoughts of yours, unless you meant those about an annoying pest that flutters by my ear and pesters me to no end? _Hmmmm_?”

“Pestering you, whatever do you mean?” Kuroo chuckled as he grabbed the bottle and handed it to Tsukishima. When Tsukishima grabbed it, however, Kuroo didn’t let go and only smirked at him with the same teasing mischievousness as he had before. “You mean pestering you in the same way your crush pesters you when he catches you staring at him, like he did just now?”

A well-timed and terse retort was swallowed as Tsukishima was thrown off by Kuroo’s words. Something in his chest bubbled with excitement and passion as he entertained the mere thought of Hinata looking at him, noticing his always present eyes, and smiling at him with the same bright and boundlessly hopeful feeling as he did whenever volleyball or something of the like was involved. Squashing the feeling, he tightened his grip around the bottle and glared at Kuroo. Kuroo only smirked back at him knowingly and teasingly as if he knew what was really going on. Hating him for it, Tsukishima tore his gaze away and just about let go of the bottle before Kuroo beat him to the punch and laughed.

Not willing to give him an inch, Tsukishima spoke with as much conviction as he could muster. “First off. I don’t have a crush. And secondly, I was not staring at the squirt or anyone for that matter. I was only following the ball and seeing if Koganegawa would block it the way that I told him to. You know I’ve been trying to drill proper technique and practice into that pea-sized brain of his.”

Tsukishima hoped his words would have somewhat satisfied Kuroo’s curiosity and got him to go away but it didn’t. The pest only chuckled and looked at him disbelievingly as he placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned close enough to whisper in his ear. “Sure, you can make all the excuses you want, Tsukki. But we all saw how you got weak in the knees when the squirt looked at you and smiled. You don’t just do that for anyone. So why not quit the lies and games, and just tell him, no better chance than now. Here, I’ll help you out!”

Kuroo pulled away and waved frantically at the _coalition of volleyball idiots_. Just as he was about to call them over, Tsukishima moved with lightning like speed and grabbed his arm, put his hands to his mouth, and turned him around before they noticed. “Can it you sly weasel. I told you, I have no feelings for the squirt. Go, go, go deal with your boyfriend or something. Leave me in peace.”

“If you don’t have any feelings for him, then why are you so adamant about getting me to drop the subject? If you really didn’t have feelings then someone like you would just brush him off in the way you used to do and go about your day…or…maybe you really do have feelings. Is that it Tsukki? You have feelings for-“

“Tsukki has feelings? Feelings for who, feelings for who?!” Hinata shouted exuberantly and excitedly as he and everybody else stood right in front of them.

Tsukishima struggled to not look Hinata in the eye as he lied. He couldn’t admit it here, not in front of everyone, and certainly not to the boy in question. “I don’t have-”

“Feelings for a certain volleyball _idiot_,” Kuroo completed his statement much to the entertainment of the others. The boys quickly huddled up and shared words of who they though this lucky person was. As they did, Tsukishima stomped on Kuroo’s foot and pulled him away from the others.

“Can it, or else I’ll tell Kenma what you did to several of his game saves the last time we were here. We all know how he gets when someone does as much as distract him to sabotage his progress, who knows what he’ll do when I show him that it was his very own boyfriend that committed the greatest sin while foolin’ around when he wasn’t looking. Need I remind you, you came to me begging for help.” Tsukishima teased as he pulled out his cell phone and played the video that showed Kuroo in the act of frantically trying to _undelete _deleted files on the system. Needless to say, it was a fruitless endeavor as once deleted they’re gone forever.

“So cruel Tsukki so cruel.” Kuroo averted his gaze and chuckled half-heartedly as he tried to reach for the phone. Slightly taller, Tsukishima held it out of his reach.

“Back off Kuroo, or else. You know I won’t hesitate one moment to ruin your relationship over this.”

“Do it, I don’t care. I’m sure he’ll understand that it was a mere glitch. I was trying to fix it, you know, I take those computer science classes at the local college.” Though he said that, he was still reaching over for Tsukishima’s cell phone. As his fingers grazed the base of the phone, Tsukishima quickly maneuvered himself to better interact with it.

“Oh is that so? Then you won’t mind if I show him this video? I’m sure he’ll be convinced of your innocence when he hears you begging me for help.” Quick, Tsukishima was already attaching the video to a text message to Kenma.

Kuroo looked as if he saw a ghost when Tsukishima’s finger hovered over the _send _button. Dropping his theatrics and smirk, he raised his hand in surrender and looked at him with dire seriousness in his eyes. “Ohkay, ohkay, ohkay, I’ll drop it, I’ll drop it. Peace?”

Tsukishima peered at him with the intensity of an archivist checking the authenticity of an artifact. As Kuroo nodded and waved his raised hands, as if solidifying his commitment to _drop it, _Tsukishima nodded and closed his phone. He just about walked away before Kuroo was back in his personal space.

“Hold up, Tsukki, at least tell me. No jokes or nothing, I’m being totally real here.” Kuroo placed a hand on Tsukishima’s shoulder, keeping him in place. “Why won’t you tell the squirt your feelings? I mean what do you have to lose, he already looks at you like you’re the sun in his morning.”

Tsukishima tried to stifle a smile from forming and a blush from breaking out across his features. He quickly covered his face before he gave himself away.

Kuroo, master of taking any opportunity anyone provided them, familiar with Tsukishima’s mannerisms, laid it on thicker than before as he dove his way deeper into his friend’s heart. “You know, the apple in his eye. The star he looks for every night. The moon of his life, the sun and his stars, the center of his universe, need I say more?”

Each and every idiom made Tsukishima’s heart thump harder than before. He found it hard, difficult, challenging even to keep himself from breaking out into an honest to god smile. Just imagining Hinata thinking of him in such a way was enough to let him open his heart to the one person he never ever wanted to.

“You really think he has the capacity to love, like honestly, all that’s in that head of his is _volleyball this_, _volleyball that_. For someone like that, I honestly don’t think-” Tsukishima fell silent as a small hand wound its way into his. As he looked down at the boy in question, he bit his lips. Hinata stared at him with a tear in his eye.

“Is that really how you see me Tsukki? You really think I can’t put my love of volleyball second and put my feelings for you first? Is that how weak you see me? Really?”

Tsukishima hastily clarified his thoughts as he struggled to not be the source of the boy’s tears. “No, no, no Hinata. It, it isn’t. You, your future, your aspirations, hopes, dreams everything, it all revolved around volleyball. Having feelings for me, it’s a distraction. I can’t get in the way of your dreams. I can’t be the stumbling block in your path going forward. Forget about me and my feelings and focus on what you need to do to succeed. Only then when you make it can we address this thing between us. Please.” Tsukishima reasoned as he watched the tear in Hinata’s eye fall down his face. He knew he felt terrible for saying something like this, but it was true. He couldn’t threaten his crushes dreams. He couldn’t. His love for him, it could wait, couldn’t it?

“But that’s not what I want, Tsukki. I want your feelings right now. I want your heart right now. I want you by my side right now. I don’t want to wait. I don’t want to wait at all. I want you, now. Please, Tsukki.” Hinata clenched Tsukki’s hand as he repeated himself lowly and softly and tearfully.

Tsukishima’s mouth quivered as he stared at Hinata’s tearful eyes. He struggled to remain silent as he listened to Hinata’s whispers. While it seemed easy to just say yes, it wasn’t. Thoughts of the good, fun, and loving times a relationship brought raced through his mind and made him smile. However, thoughts of the challenging, trying, and drama filled times that would undoubtedly threaten to pull them apart made him frown. Could Hinata remain focused on his hopes and aspirations in the face of such adversity?

“Tsukki, get out of that head of yours and listen to your heart.” Kuroo wrapped an arm around his neck and whispered in his ear. “Does seeing him like this and hearing him like this, do nothing for you at all? Shouldn’t this tell you about his, you know, determination to maintain a relationship with you while still striving for what he wants in life? Why deny him this opportunity with your smarts and logic and whatever else you got running up there?”

“Because.”

“Tsukki, just give it a try.”

“Yeah man, give it a try.” Koganegawa added as he spoke from the side. “Hinata’s determined to make this work.”

Kageyama spoke with the same terseness he always did when it came to Tsukishima and Hinata. “Yeah dumbass, with how much the scrub has talked our ears off about his feelings for you, he sure as heck won’t be so weak that the slightest roadblock will make him cry as he usually does when he fails when I’m not around.”

“Hey.” Hinata wiped the tears from his eyes and glared at him. “I do not cry.”

“Can it scrub. We all saw you bawling like a baby when Goshiki owned you back there. You looked just as pathetic now as you did back then. I have pictures.” Kageyama waved his cell phone around.

Growing red faced and embarrassed, Hinata was right there at him reaching for the phone. Held way too high out of his reach, he was left jumping and leaping as he tried to grab it. “Lies. Lies all around Bakayama. He didn’t own me. He only caught me off-guard.”

Kageyama smirked like a winner. “Yet you don’t deny the crying?”

“Grkk!” Hinata clenched his fist and ground his teeth as anger flashed in his eyes. He looked ready to rip Kageyama a new one and he nearly did before Tsukishima’s hand found its way into his and turned him around. As he looked stunned, shocked, and surprised over this development, he was all eyes and ears as Tsukishima flashed him a fond smile.

“Fine squ-Hinata. Let’s give this a try. Please. Will you go out with me? I, you, our feelings are mutual after all.” Tsukishima was quiet, really quiet, as he meekly and nervously said what was on his heart.

“You mean?” Hinata’s eyes glowed with excitement.

“I’m not saying it.” Tsukishima added as he pulled his hand out of his and crossed his arms defensively and defiantly. “Well not in front of this nosy idiot and certainly not in front of king sourpuss the great.” He elbowed Kuroo who still hovered over his shoulder.

“Go away Kuroo, go away Bakayama! Hurry.” Hinata sing-songed as he leapt on Tsukishima, wrapped his arms and legs around him and hugged the living daylights out of him. As everyone fell into laughs and giggles, Tsukishima and Hinata beamed as if something new sprouted in their heart and filled them with a certain hopeful something that this relationship or whatever would work out in the end.

**Author's Note:**

> I enjoyed this especially getting my friendships going on and doing a bit of volleyball action. Late on the whole tsukihina week 2019 but I should be doing them all over the next few days.
> 
> Thanks for reading. As usual edits will be forthcoming.


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